The Monell Chemical Senses Center, founded in 1968, is the world's first and only multidisciplinary institute devoted entirely to basic research in the chemical senses and produces extensive research within the NIDCD mission area. Two of Monell's greatest strengths are the breadth of approaches brought to bear on problems in the chemical senses, and the effective interdisciplinary collaborations that are fostered at the Monell Center. In this P30 grant application for a Core Center in the chemical senses, four Research Cores with distinct areas of technical expertise highly relevant to the chemical senses are proposed: 1. Histology, 2. Genotyping, 3. Molecular Biology, and 4. Phenotyping. In addition, an Administrative Core will support the Research Cores in their mission to enhance the research of users in our Research Base of thirteen R01 grants in the NIDCD mission area. Dr. Liquan Huang will lead the Histology Core, building on his expertise in the visualization of proteins in taste receptor cells. The Genotyping Core will be led by Dr. Danielle Reed, who has over twenty years of training and experience with genotyping and gene mapping. Dr. Bedrich Mosinger, an expert in molecular biology and in constructing transgenic mouse models, is the Director of the Molecular Biology Core. Dr. Alexander Bachmanov will run the Phenotyping Core;he is well-known for his ability to phenotype mice and rats for traits relevant to the chemical senses. The Director of the Administrative Core is Dr. Robert Margolskee, who through his expertise in the research areas of all four Research Cores and his administrative experience is uniquely qualified to serve as PI of this Core Center grant. Together these Cores will serve the Research Base at Monell and by contributing to innovative research in the chemical senses further the mission of NIDCD to understand taste, smell and the common chemical sense in order to improve human health and well-being.